


Bedtime Difficulties

by dragonshost



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Pre-Canon, i always forget that ajeel was a prince before a spriggan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 10:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonshost/pseuds/dragonshost
Summary: Yajeel has a great deal of trouble putting his rambunctious grandson to bed at night.





	Bedtime Difficulties

Bedtime was always a difficult time of the day for Yajeel.  He was starting to feel the effects of getting older, and his rambunctious young grandson cared little for the stress he caused his kin.  Ajeel was content to run around all day like a mad thing, instead of as the nobility he was.  But then, Yajeel supposed that that was the privilege he had by dint of being the little prince.  Yajeel himself was often too busy to play with the child, as there was too much work to do as the boy’s regent.  But whereas Yajeel had assumed that Ajeel’s restless energy would be expended come nightfall, the opposite always seemed to be the case.  Ajeel’s energy would increase exponentially the closer it came to when he should sleep for the day.

The maids in charge of Ajeel’s care had a great deal of trouble with putting the boy down to bed, and Yajeel himself was no better at the task.  For a long time, he despaired of his grandson getting the proper rest that a growing child required.

In a moment of vulnerability, he vented his concerns to the palace librarian - a blue-haired man of Yajeel’s age who had emigrated across the ocean many years before.

“I fear I do not know how to help, Lord Regent,” the librarian confessed.  “For I have the opposite problem.”

Curious, Yajeel motioned for the man to continue.  “Tell me more, my good man.”

“I too have a grandchild,” the librarian explained.  “She inherited my love of books, and has always been content with a bedtime story or two when it came time for her to sleep.  I loved reading to her all manner of stories.  Recently, however, I have lost that privilege!  Nowadays, she grabs a book from the shelf, and puts  _herself_ to bed with it.  No need for me at all.”  He sniffed, and wiped away a stray tear.  “It makes an old man lonely, it does.”

“How old is your granddaughter?” Yajeel inquired.

“She is two years older than the prince.”

An idea formed in Yajeel’s mind.  Perhaps all that Ajeel needed… was someone to help tamp down his boredom.  Not a maid, or an old man.  But a playmate, someone near his own age.  Someone who would be a calming influence on the boy.

“Sir McGarden… I might have a proposal for you.  How would you feel about your granddaughter spending time in the palace?”

Catching onto what the regent was alluding towards, the man considered it.  Having Levy in the building would mean that he could spend more time with her on his breaks… and she would get some much-needed socialization.

“Tell me more about what you have in mind, Lord Regent…”


End file.
